I’ll be at Search Engine Strategies (SES) in New York City for the entire run of the conference on Feb. 27-Mar. 2, 2006. Here’s the sessions I plan to participate in:
- Lunch With The Google Engineers. Ask us what you want. I’ll be there with a Sitemaps person, and probably a couple other engineers will join in the fun too.
- Pundits on Search. It’ll be Robert Scoble from Microsoft; Jeremy Zawodny from Yahoo; me; David Vise, author of The Google Story; and Zia Daniell Wigder from JupiterResearch. I’m looking forward to it.
- Probably Meet the Crawlers, too.
I might be on a few more that I’ve forgotten about right now. If so, I’ll update the list.
If you see me, please walk up and say hello. And feel free to give me feedback or suggestions, which I will log in my uber hipster PDA:
It costs $1.08 some places, but I know where to shop around. $0.99, baby. I hope to see lots of familiar (and new!) faces in New York!
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Matt
Better luck next time for me to meet you. I was supposed to be there in that SES NYC. In fact I had asked you in aprevious comment whether you will be there.
See ya another time and another place, Inigo
I wish I could afford one of those cool PDAs…
Won’t be in NY but hope you also make it to the Boston WMW in April.
I thought John Battelle was on that panel too. Damn. Now I have to find another place to make fun of him.
I will defenetly be there at the 27th….. lunch sound great!
Nothing beats a moleskin for your hipster PDA needs
Unfortunately I won’t be able to attend SES, I hope you have a good time!
A little thought for improving the Google serps and for a possible integration into sitemaps. Sitemaps currently has a “mobile” sitemap option, for mobile pages. Perhaps add a section for RSS/ATOM feeds?
I’ve recently had to ban the search engine bots from reading my feeds as they rank higher than my pages. I see it as technically legitimate as the feeds are cut down only having the content text and aren’t loaded with extra html and page navigational content so are more relevant.
However probably to 90% of searchers an XML page isn’t really what they are wanting, but they are looking for an HTML page; so the feeds are less relevant to most searchers.
Perhaps along with Web, Images, Groups, News and Froogle, there could be another type of search to find feeds and have the feeds removed from the general Web index? This would make it easier for those people looking for feeds and cleaner for those people who aren’t.
Just a thought…
Enjoy the conference!
Matt by the way when is the next SES in Las Vegas? After all the crying I have done with Google the least they can do is give me a towel for free
I was wondering if you could shed some light on the big debate that is going on over PageRank Prediction ( http://www.web-designers.biz/2006/02/google-pagerank-prediction-exposed.html )
It would be nice to find out a clear cut answer on this one!
You go Matt – save those pennies!
I will be at SES Toronto. Will Google have any engineering representation there?
After all the crying I have done with Google the least they can do is give me a towel for free
Don’t count on it.. I’ve been waiting for my free Guiness bar towel for over 3 years now.
Too obscure?
Oh, good. There’s something I wanted to talk to you about. Meet me outside in the smoking area by the front doors. When you hear someone ask, “Where are the Snowdens of yesteryear?” you say in a bad Hungarian accent, “Would you like to go back to my place for some Bouncy-Bouncy?”
Oh, and Matt… wear the sword.
Hi Matt, care to provide a comment on this: http://www.irishwonder.syndk8.co.uk/2006/02/17/new-google-feature-special-treatment-for-seo-chat/
Thanks.
Matt, I know it might be early to say but do you think you will be at SES in Toronto?
Impressively, Froogle finds the same deal:
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=marble+memo
Man…i really wanna go really bad…. I dont know if I can fund the trip though…
hmmm lets see if i can sell something on ebay real quick to fund the trip…haha
There’s a lot of people selling their souls on ebay… and somebody is selling his mother’s remains too…
I’m sure you can find something to sell.
As for that link above… those are supplemental results. When the main page is considered “vital” to what you’re searching for, sometimes google shows supplemental results.. or “here’s more from this site, we’ll list them here instead of putting them in regular search results… so other sites get a chance to rank”
You’ll see this by searching for other stuff like “yahoo” or “email” or “text messages” (although that #1 site for text messages used to use tons of hidden text… but somehow after I reported it to google they just deleted the hidden text and got no penalty… i can’t figure that out… did Google warn them?)
// side note.. the #1 site for “payday loans canada” is also a hidden text nightmare..
Matt, sorr about the comments thing, they’re just not working on my blog and I can’t get around to fixing them… Could you just email me your comment so I can post it as an update to my post? Thanks
Hi Matt
You being there is almost a good enough reason to show up! I was thinking of waiting for the SES in Toronto since I wouldn’t have to cross the border to attend it, so I’m gonna ask the same question as gomer: do you think you’ll go to the Toronto SES?
I hope we will see presentations or text about this SES
Jeremy, I think John had to drop out–he had a conflict, I think.
IrishWonder, I left a comment over on your blog this morning, but you haven’t approved it. I don’t have it anymore though. I left some comments over at graywolf too. In order to refute the latter claim, see
http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/ui-fun-better-snippets/
No money changes hands and it’s all algorithmic. In order to refute the first/graywolf claim, just do queries like [what is economics] or [what is barbeque] to see that this feature is also algorithmic with no money changing hands. And fix those dang comments.
Wayne, if it’s in Vegas, it’s probably WMW.
nutkeis, the grass is long. Repeat, the grass is long.
Matt,
Good to hear you’ll by in NYC. I will be there for the full conference and am looking forward the the Lunch with the Google Engineers.
This is my first SES and am hoping it’ll be great (ought to for the price they charge…)
SV
>> … if it’s in Vegas, it’s probably WMW.
… or MIX06… You should go to hassle the MS folks.
Matt:
That picture of your hipster PDA cracked me up.. but seriously, I would like to know what type of mobile/PDA you use? What’s popular among the Google staff?
I am currently trying out the Treo700w but not 100% thrilled with it.. What I need is a mobile that will support SSH so I can admin our linux servers from remote. Would love to know what everyone else if using these days that supports SSH.
Joel, that is my PDA. I carry a cell-phone and laptop around, but nothing beats the memo pad. It’s equipped with modular memory that can be expanded with 80 sheets of paper at a time (by swapping to a new memo pad). It’s also easy to delete items; just tear out that page.
Joe, I doubt I’d get invited on MIX06. Anyway, I’m trying to make it to fewer conferences, not more.
Greetings Matt. I’ll be there though I wish I knew enough so’s to pick yer’ head the right and proper way.
Anyhow, ‘will be a pleasure to make your acquaintance in person.
Matt Said,
February 17, 2006 @ 12:37 pm
I’m trying to make it to fewer conferences, not more.
——————————————————
Wouldnt that just be my luck
but then again who turns down a company paid trip to Las Vegas. I guess that Vegas moto is true, whoever spams in Vegas stays in Google 
oops I meant to say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas….
>> Joe, I doubt I’d get invited on MIX06.
Their loss, but hope to see you in Boston or SES San Jose ….
Matt, love the hipster PDA, but don’t they pay you enough to afford one of these?
http://www.googlestore.com/product.asp?catid=4&code=GO0016
Now THAT is what the uber-hipsters are really using.
That’s my brand of PDA! Well, actually, I refer to it as my PAA (personal analog assistant). Funny thing is, I have some versions from 10-20 years ago and they still work. All the data is there.
Matt, I hear BigMouthMedia is given a platform at the SES? If true, they are known spammers and it looks like Google knows it (not in Google).
Why oh why are spammers given credibility by these conferences?
Hey Matt, Mat here…I will be at the conference and look forward to meeting you and learning everything I can!
Matt,
I’m bummed, I’ll be in AZ that entire week on business, and will miss all of SES. Enjoy the conference…that is, if you can wade through the Google-watchers to make it to any of the booths/sessions!
Later,
Mike
Gosh, Dave, with everyone falling into the spamming trap these days, can you be sure to make up a list of everyone who should be permanently banned from speaking? Include BMW, WordPress and — hmm — Google itself, which you might recall had to ban itself last year for cloaking. Sorry, Matt — have to ask you to step off the stage
I think you’ll find Matt has explained well why Google itself talks with spammers, has them around and so on over here:
http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/christmas-truce-of-1914/
So it’s OK for Google but not OK for SES. Got it. Seriously, since the search engines have no problem continuing to interact with spammers (they don’t get booted from things like AdSense, for example), why pick on the conferences? You got a gripe, ask Google to ban Big Mouth from being an AdWords certified partner.
As for why SES might have black hats speak, I’ve explained that again and again to the good folks over at ihelpyou forums, where you are coming from. Just find my profile, and you’ll get all the ample explanations as to why I see a difference between involving different viewpoints and advocating spam. That’s assuming Doug hasn’t deleted my posts. That’s happened in the past.
Overall, if you’re doing search marketing, I think you should be well educated in the space. That can including knowing what the black hats are seeing and think. You might not like them, but the are a part of the search ecology and even sometimes a helpful part, as with the alarms they sounded over hijacking issues.
Very well said, Danny.
Hi Matt, I’m really looking forward to meeting you and the rest of the search world that is able to make it to SES NYC. See you on Tuesday at the Pundits of Search session.
Brian M
Matt, hope to see you and everyone else for some downtime as well at the parties and events during SES.
http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=9912
Joe
By the way…sorry for the drive by spam
Oh I have read your arguments over at IHY many times. After reading your arguments and those at IHY I am in total agreeance with the folks at IHY. Also, your posts are STILL there as IHY had no need to delete them. Unfortunately you DO delete posts at SEW when a white hat challenges a black hat method. You see, the folks at IHY DO care about the SEO industry and the very bad rep it is given when spammers are given platforms and hence credibility. You know full well who is who.
You don’t seem to care that many who attend, have little to no knowledge of SEO and see those speaking at these conferences as credible. Nothing could be further from the truth in reality in some cases! Could you imagine a medical conference where deregistered Doctors could speak. Imagine a building conference where deregistered builders are given a voice.
Google NEEDS to keep spammers close. As the saying goes, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” (notice the word enemies Danny?). However, forums (like yours danny) frequently allow spammers to give short-term black hat advice and even advertise their spam generating software. Heck, many of your moderators are even well known black hats.
This, to me, is like someone running a race hate forum but tries to maintain that he himself does not engage in race hate. The FACT is though, by supplying a platform and a forum you ARE condoning it.
Personally danny, it looks very much like you are a puppet to your advertisers. If your best argument is “well Google do it” I feel you are totally lost Danny.
Personally, Dave, it looks very much like you are a puppet to the kneejerk reaction Doug’s helped nuture for many at IHY. Many, but not all — I get the private emails from people including mods there who think he goes too far.
My very long post explaining to Doug why he was premoderated and answering many of the usual accusations against me was deleted at IHY and remains so, Dave. You know this. I won’t rehash it further.
Yep, we delete posts at SEW when appropriate, usually for case of failing to follow our guidelines, such as not being rude to other members. It doesn’t matter what color your hat is. Such disruptive behavior isn’t allowed.
It’s insulting as always to be informed that I don’t care about the SEO industry. I do, and I think that’s self-evident. Neither have I ever encouraged people to spam. That’s not personally what I advise anyone to do, and I’ve written about that time and time again. You also fail to understand that SEW is far more than our forums and always has been. Our visitors get more education than just reading forum posts.
While I don’t encourage people to spam, I ultimately think it’s a choice each person has to make. What exactly is spam can also vary from your own viewpoint. BMW was actually pretty ticked that their hidden text was viewed as somehow misleading Google. You want a used BMW in Germany? Why do you care how you got to a page from BMW itself? That’s a strong argument. Weaker for someone who isn’t BMW, and that further illustrates the grayness of spam.
As for excusing Google for needing to keep spammers close, please. If you are a serious white hat, you’d better understand what the black hats are doing, if only to ensure you are protecting yourself and your clients from things you might not want to stumble into. In addition, black hats often have a very good understanding of when search engines are not working in the way they advertise. You can bury your head in the sand; I want people to be informed.
Basically, the search engines don’t deserve some type of free pass from the accusations you want to level at me. They take money from black hats who advertise. They give money to black hats that run their contextual program. They provide a forum of their own by listing things like black hat blogs. Matt’s personal blog will have black hat comments. Yahoo and MSN’s official blogs allow comments where black hats have taken part. Google’s blog will take trackbacks from black hat.
Allowing people to take part in a conversation is not the same as condoning a particular action. I’m sorry this simple but important point is lost on you. By this argument, we shouldn’t allow anyone to speak out against laws they think should be changed.
If you want to suggest that I’m like running a race hate forum by allowing black hats to speak, I’ll point a similarly overcharged analogy back at you. You not wanting to allow all parts of the SEO community to at least be able to participate in a discussion where some think the laws against them should be changed is like saying you’d prefer a segregated society where those of color shouldn’t speak against those laws. In short, to mirror your own words, by denying a platform you ARE condoning segregation.
Finally, my best argument has never been “well Google do it.” My best argument is what I’ve said time and again. Help educate people, be inclusive and trust that people can make their own decision.
I won’t keep getting it into you here on Matt’s blog, since it’s not really fair to him and his comments system. And I won’t keep getting into it with you and Doug at IHY because I’ve done that and done that and done that. I’ve expressed everything I can say time and again. You’ve got your views; I have mine. Enough said.
If others want to read more on the entire white hat/black hat debate, I’ll follow Joe’s lead and do a link drop:
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/050706-074713
That summarizes plenty of heated but also well argued debate on white hat black hat issues on our forums over the years.
RE: “You’ve got your views; I have mine. Enough said”
Agree and will finish by addressing this;
“That’s not personally what I advise anyone to do, and I’ve written about that time and time again. You also fail to understand that SEW is far more than our forums and always has been. Our visitors get more education than just reading forum posts.
While I don’t encourage people to spam, I ultimately think it’s a choice each person has to make. What exactly is spam can also vary from your own viewpoit”
It really depends on which posts they read at SEW. As I said, by giving spammers a platform, a voice in your forums and even allowing them to tout their wares (e.g spam page generator) in your forum you ARE condoning it.
I don’t buy into “What exactly is spam can also vary from your own viewpoit” either. It matters not what you, or I consider spam. One only has to read the guidlines to know what is considered spam.
BTW, I don’t agree with the way Doug H goes about the cause, but I DO agree with the cause.
nothing much was just laughing my a** out on that hipster PDA…goodness..some people are really crazy!!